Electric switch



16, 9 i K c. ALLISON EI'AL 2,186,950

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Sept. 8, 1936 a ?mdc/w Patented Jan. 16, 1940UNITED "STATES PATENT] '1 OFFICE Edward J. Mastney, Berwyn,

Ill., assignors to Oak Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IlL, acorporation of Illinois 1 7 Application September 8, 1938, Serial No.99,722

20 Claims.

This invention relates to electric switches and particularly to switchsections in a gang removable and replaceable as units, in complexswitches, such as the gang switches used in multiband radio receivers,tube testers and the like, it is desirable to have the sections of theswitch readily removable. It also is desirable, however, to have theswitch sections so designed that no dismantling of each section ispossible. Because the rotors are usable with all stators, it would beeasily possible to misplace a rotor.

By this invention, the rotor and. stator 01' each switch section areunitary in the sense that they cannot be dismantled and reassembled byordinary means.

Re erring to the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of a switch section.Figure 2 is an enlarged detail. Figure 3 is asection on 3-3 of Figure 1.Figure 4 is a detail of the rotor.

The construction represents an improvement over that shown and claimedin our application S. N. 53,486 filed Dec. 9, 1935. The sectioncomprises a stator I of rigid insulating material. The stator is of agenerally circular shape with diametral extensions 2 and 3havingapertures 4 and 5 for support in a gang switch such as shown inPatent 2,012,492 to Arnold et al. The interior of stator i is cut out toform a region B. The inner edge of stator l is broken up by a regularseries of fingers l tapering at 8 from the stator body proper. Betweenadjacent fingers, the inner stator edge is preferably straight at 9 toform a series of chords symmetrically disposed around open region 6. Itwill be.noted that fingers I extend inwardly for equal distances and thetips I thereof lie on the circumference of a circle.

Stator I has a series of apertures l2 lying on the circumference of acircle concentric with the circle defined by finger edges l0. Eachaperture is disposed between adjacent fingers and behind chord 9. Ateach aperture, a stator contact I is disposed. Each contact comprises adoubled over strip of spring metal having a connecting portion I 6. Aneyelet I8 passing through a suitable aperture in mounting portion l1maintains the contact rigidly in position. From mounting portion I1, thecontact material extends inwardly to provide a contacting portion I9.The two layers of metal spread to form jaws and 2! between whose edges22 the rotor contact is adapted to move. It will be noted that eachcontact l5 snugly fits between adjacent finger portions 8 and ismaintained against turning movement thereby.

, Disposed within cut out region 6 is a. circular rotor disk of rigidinsulating material. This disk is of substantially the same thickness asstator i and just fits into the space defined by finger tips I 0. Ineflect, the fingers 1 form a bearing for rotor disk 25. Disk 25 has agenerally (on. zoo-.15)

rectangular slot 23 through the center thereoi for engagement with anon-circular shaft as in the Arnold et a]. patent previously referredto. Disposed within the outer edge of disk 25 is a series of slots 21spaced at regular intervals. A plurality of rotor contacts are adaptedto be supported along both sides of disk 25 near the edge thereof. Eachcontact comprises an annular segment having concentric circular innerand outer edges 3| and 32. Inner edge 3| lies just within disk edge 25and is provided with a plurality of tongues 33 adapted to register withslots 21. These tongues have their free edges bent through the slots andstaked at 34. Annular segment 30 may be of any predetermined angularextent and may be provided with one or more extensions 36 on the outeredge 32. Certain of the stator contacts, such as 31, do not extendinwardly as far as other contacts and are adapted to operate only onextension of the rotor contact.

It will be noted that each stator contact jaw encloses on both sides therotor contact on the corresponding disk side. Since the stator hascontacts mounted on both sides thereof, both series of rotor contactswill be used.

The rotor contacts are distributed around each side of disk 25 so that asubstantially. continuous rotor contact surface results. Where thecontacts are broken off, as at 40, the intervening space is too small topermit finger I to be free of the side contact surface. It may not benecessary to utilize all the contacts on the rotor; nevertheless, thegreat bearing. surface presented by the rotor contacts on the statorfingers makes for a more rigid assembly, which will retain the rotor inposition at all times. Furthermore, the bearing of the rotor contacts onboth sides of the stator fingers removes any sideways strain from thestator contact jaws and keeps the strain on the heavy and relativelyrigid rotor contacts.

It is understood of course, that enough clearances between relativelymoving surfaces are provided to permit the spring contacts to alignthemselves perfectly from slight manufacturing inaccuracies. However,movements allowed by such clearances are well within the elastic limitsof the spring contact material and has no tendency to affect the contactaction or deform the contacts. Because of the close limits on uniformityof contact resistance, this becomes important.

What is claimed is:

l. A switch section, removable and replaceable as a unit, comprising aflat insulating stator having an interior portion thereof cut out toleave a plurality of inwardly extending fingers whose free ends lie onthe circumference of a circle. an insulating rotor disk disposed withinsaid out out region and being just large enough to bear Y 7 against saidfingers, said disk having a central noncircular aperture for engagement'with a shaft, fiat rotor contacts carried. by said rotor on thesides-thereof and extending beyond the disk edge to. overlapat leastcertain of said fingers on the opposite sides thereof, and springcontacts mountedon the stator between fingers cooperating with the sidesurfaces of said rotor contacts and having contacting portions entirelyclear of said stator.

2. A switch section, removable and replaceable as a unit, comprising aflat insulating stator having an interior portion thereof. cut out toleave a plurality of inwardly extending flngers whose free ends lie onthe circumference of a circle, an

' aiaaaso insulating rotor disk disposed within said out out gers on thesides thereof, and spring contacts mounted on the stator betweenfingers, said contacts having oppositely bent jaws enclosing thecooperating rotor contact on both sides thereof and having the jawsentirely clear of said stator.

3. A switch section, removable and replaceable as a unit, comprising aflat insulating stator having an interior portion thereof cut out toleave a plurality of inwardly extending fingers whose free ends lie onthe circumference of a circle, an insulating rotor disk disposed withinsaid cut out region and being just large enough to bear against saidfingers, said disk having a central noncircular aperture for engagementwith a shaft, flat rotor contacts having the shape of annular segmentscarried by said disk on opposite sides thereof and extending beyond thedisk edge to overlap portions of the stator body, said segments being sodisposed on each side that any gap between adjacent segment ends issmall- I er in angular extent than that of the stator fingers, andspring contacts carried by the stator between fingers, said contactshaving oppositely bent jaws to enclose a rotor contact on opposite sidesand having the jaws entirely clear of said stator.

4. The switch of claim 3 wherein therotor contacts on one side of thedisk form a complete annulus.

5. A switch section, removable and replaceable as a unit, comprising afiat insulating stator having an interior portion thereof cut out toleave a plurality of inwardly extending fingers Whose free ends lie onthe circumference of a circle, an insulating rotor disk disposed withinsaid cut out region and being just large enough to bear against saidfingers, said disk having a central noncircular aperture for engagementwith a shaft, fiat rotor contacts in the shape of annular segmentscarried by said disk on each side thereof, said contacts extendingbeyond the disk edge to overlap portions of the stator body, meansextending from the inner edge of each contact and passing through thedisk for rigidly maintaining the contact in position, and springcontacts carried by the stator having oppositely bent jaws to enclosethe rotor contacts on opposite sides thereof and having the jawsentirely clear of the stator.

6. A switch section, removable and replaceable as a unit, comprising aflat insulating stator having an interior portion thereof cut out toleave a plurality of inwardly extending fingers Whose free endslie onthe circumference of a circle, an insulating rotor disk disposed withinsaid out out region and being just large enough to bear against saidfingers, said disk having a central .noncircular aperture for engagementwith a shaft, flat rotor contacts in the shape of annular segmentscarried by said disk on each side there-' of and extending beyond the,disk edge to overlap portions of the stator body, said segments beingso disposed that between the operating limits of the rotor there is nogap large enough for any stator finger to clear, and contacts carried bythe stator on opposite sides thereof between fingers, said contactshaving oppositely bent jaws to enclose the rotor contacts on both sidesthereof and having the jaws entirely clear of the stator.

7. A switch section, removable and replaceable as a unit, comprising aflat insulating stator having an interior portion thereof cut out toleave a generally circular bearing surface, an insulating rotor diskdisposed within said out out region and being just large enough to bearagainst said surface, said disk having a central noncircular aperturefor engagement with a shaft, fiat rotor contacts in the shape of annularsegments carried by said disk on at least one side thereof and extendingbeyond the disk edge, and contacts carried by the stator having springjaws embracing said rotor contacts on opposite sides thereof and havingthe jaws entirely clear of the stator.

8. Theswitch section of claim 7 wherein said rotor contacts bear againstthe stator portions under them to support the rotor in position.

9. The switch section of claim 7 wherein said rotor contacts aredisposed on opposite sides of the rotor and form thrust bearing surfacesagainst the stator sides to support the rotor.

10. An electric switch comprising a stator disc of insulating sheetmaterial, an opening therein.

and a rotor mounted so as to turn in said opening, said rotor comprisinga circular disc-shaped body portion having a pair of flanges thereonresting against opposite faces of said stator disc in all rotorpositions, and cooperating rotor and stator contacts on said rotor andstator respectively, one of each pair of cooperating contacts being ofspring material and means for mounting said spring contacts so that thecontact making portion of each spring contact is entirely free of anysupport.

11. An electric switch comprising a stator disc of insulating material,an opening therein and a rotor mounted so as to turn in said opening,said rotor comprising a circular disc shaped body portion having a pairof flanges thereon resting against opposite faces of said stator disc inall rotor positions, cooperating rotor and stator contacts on said rotorand stator respectively, said stator contacts being of spring materialand shaped to provide a pair of jaws, the rotor contacts having ablade-like shape and adapted to slide between the stator contact jaws,and means for mounting the stator contacts so that the spring contactmaking portion thereof is clear'of any support material.

12. An electric switch comprising a stator disc of insulating material,an opening therein and a rotor mounted so as to turn in said opening,said rotor comprising a circular disc shaped body portion having a pairof flanges thereon resting against opposite faces of said stator disc inall rotor positions, cooperating series of rotor and stator contacts onsaid rotor and stator restator in all rotor positions, cooperatingseries I of rotor and stator contacts on said rotor and -statorrespectively, said rotor contacts being blade-like and said statorcontacts having spring jaws adapted to enclose said rotor contacts andmeans for mounting said rotor contacts so that the contact makingportion thereof is free of the supporting material.

14. An electric switch comprising a stator disc of insulating materialhaving an opening therein, a rotor construction disposed in said openingand having means bearing on at least one face of the stator in all rotorpositions, rotor and stator contacts on said rotor and statorrespectively, said rotor contacts'being blade-like and said statorcontacts having spring jaws adapted to enclose the rotor contacts onboth sides thereof and means for mounting the stator contacts so thatthe contact making portion thereof is free of the supporting material.

15. In an electric switch, a switch section removable and replaceable asa unit, comprising a stator disc of insulating material having anopening therein and being adapted to be supported, a rotor mounted so asto turn in said opening, said rotor comprising a circular disc shapedbody portion having a non-circular aperture therethrough for engagementwith an operating shaft and having a pair of flanges thereon restingagainst opposite faces of said stator disc in all rotor positions,cooperating series of rotor and stator contacts on said rotor andstatorrespectively, one of said series of contacts being blade-like and rigid,another series of contacts having spring jaws adapted to enclose theblade contacts, and means for mounting said spring contacts so that thecontact making portion thereof is clear of the supporting material.

16. In an electric switch, a switch section removable and replaceable asa unit, comprising a stator disc of insulating material having anopening therein and adapted to be supported, a rotor constructiondisposed in said opening and comprising a circular disc shaped bodyportion having a non-circular aperture for engagement with an operatingshaft and having a pair of flanges thereon resting against oppositefaces of said stator disc in all rotor positions, cooperating rotor andstator contacts on said rotor and stator respectively, said statorcontacts being of spring material and shaped to provide a pair of jaws,the rotor contacts having a blade-like shape and adapted to slidebetween the stator contact jaws, and means for mounting the statorcontacts so that the spring contact'portion thereon is clear of anysupport material.

17. In an electric switch, a switch'section removable and replaceable asa unit, comprising a stator disc of insulating material having anopening therein and adapted to be supported, a rotor constructiondisposed in said opening and comprising a circular insulating discmounted to turn in said opening and having a non-circular aperturetherethrough for engagement with an operating shaft, said disc havingmeans bearing on at least one face of the stator in all rotor positions,rotor and stator contacts on said rotor and stator respectively, saidrotor contacts being blade-like and said stator contacts having springjaws adapted to enclose the rotor contacts on both sides thereof, andmeans for mounting the stator contacts so that the contact makingportion thereof is free of the supporting material.

18. An electric switch comprising a stationary member of insulatingmaterial having a free edge lying in a flat plane and having smoothparallel sides adjacent said edge, a thin flat insulating men'iberhaving a free edge in opposed relation to said first edge with the planethereof parallel to the planes of said smooth sides, means for movablymounting said thin member so that it may be moved in its own plane forswitching, stationary spring contacts mounted on-said stationary member,said contacts being disposed on opposite sides of said stationarymember, each contact having a spring finger normally movableperpendicular to said thin flat member, and a rigid flat contact carriedby said thin member on each side thereof, said rigid contacts lying ontheir fiat side and bearing against the smooth sides of said stationarymember in all switch positions, and means for mounting the springcontacts so,that the spring contact making portion thereof is clear ofany support material.

19. An electric switch comprising a stationary insulating member havinga free edge lying in a flat plane with smooth parallel sides adjacentsaid edge, a thin flat insulating member having a free edge, means formounting said second member so that the two edges are opposed to eachother with the plane of said second member being parallel to the sidesof said stationary member, said second member being movable "within itsplane for switching, at least one flat rigid contact carried by saidsecond member with its flat side bearing against one of the smooth sidesof said stationary member in all switch positions, spring contactscarried by said stationary member having active contacting portionsbearing on the flat side of the rigid contact and normally spring biasedtending to push said rigid contact away from the cooperating smooth sideand means for mounting said spring contact so that the active contactingportion thereof is free of any support material whereby any lateralmovement of said-movable member is stopped by the rigid contact againstthe side of said stationary member to prevent excessive springing of thecooperating spring contact.

20. The structure of claim 19 wherein said movable member has a rigidcontact on each side thereof bearing on each of the smooth sides of saidstationary member in all switch positions and wherein said stationarymember has spring contacts mounted on opposite sides thereof, eachspring contact including a pair of jaws adapted to embrace thecorresponding rigid contact on opposite sides thereof.

KENNETH C. ALLISON. EDWARD J. MAS'I'NEY.

